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Published on: November 24, 2014
Interferon alfa activates a lytic mechanism in ovarian and cervical carcinoma cells
C B Powell1, T Horuchi, M S Kao
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of California at San Francisco 94117.
Objective:
Our purpose was to examine the in vitro cytolytic potential of interferon alfa for human cervical and ovarian carcinoma cell lines.
Study Design:
The lytic potential of interferon alfa alone and in the presence the protein synthesis inhibitors actinomycin D and emetine was determined in the human cervical carcinoma cell lines ME-180, MS751, SiHa, HT-3, and C-33A and the ovarian carcinoma cell lines Caov-3, NIH:OVCAR-3, SK-OV-3 carcinoma cell lines by means of an 18-hour chromium 51 release assay.
Results:
Exposure of these cell lines to interferon alfa alone did not result in lysis. Similarly, when cells were simultaneously exposed to interferon alfa and either actinomycin D or emetine there was no additional increase in lysis above that seen with actinomycin D or emetine alone. Pretreatment of cells with interferon alfa (10(3), 10(4), or 10(5) U/ml) followed by protein synthesis inhibition by actinomycin D or emetine resulted in a synergistic increase in lysis.
Conclusion:
The ability to reveal the lytic potential of interferon alfa when protein synthesis is subsequently inhibited could have practical applications for the treatment of gynecologic malignancies.
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